Are you trying to learn a language? Forget night classes - THIS is the way to do it

LEARNING a new language is a popular New Year's Resolution - but the with the end of January approaching, many find themselves no closer to achieving their dream.

In fact, language learning in the UK is in decline, and the number of UK students choosing to study foreign languages at university level has been on a downward trend for nearly a decade.

For those entering the world of business or hoping to progress to the top levels, this can be a big setback, as in an increasingly competitive market, speaking another language is a clear advantage.

But even if you are no longer needing to boost your career prospects, speaking like a local while on holiday is one of life's unparalleled joys.

However after leaving school, often the only option available for picking up language skills is a night class.

Heading out after a long day at work to a classroom to learn alongside people with a different learning pace to you is not the most appealing option - so it is no surprise that the desire to speak French, Italian, Spanish or German is soon forgotten about.

But there is a way to learn that does not require a battle into the icy winds of January to sit in a room that reminds you of schooldays you would rather forget.

Online learning is simple, quick, and can be done in the convenience of your living room - and language learning subscription Babbel is one of the best options on the market.

Learners can choose from a wide range of languages to learn, from the popular choices like French or Spanish, to the more unusual such as Danish or Indonesian.

Learning is broken down into small, bite size chunks, with the average lesson taking only 15 minutes.

Subjects covered are those that people use in day to day life, so you will come to the end of the course feeling confident about speaking to people in real situations.

The most successful of our learners was Spanish - with the reporter who tried the course noting it was "easy to learn".

Other positives were the repetition, and the fact that the course is highly interactive, with students required to write, speak and read their chosen language.

Across all languages, it was noted that the exercises are varied, which stopped boredom creeping in.

So how fluent are the testers at the end of their trial? Results were mixed, as the one major drawback of home learning is it is too easy to slack off, and you are much less likely to give up on an expensive class that you have paid for.

The most dedicated tester now feels she can get around as a tourist and have basic conversations, and is hoping to keep up her learning ahead of a holiday in the summer.

But for those without the motivation to keep practising everyday, there is some way to go - although this is of course no fault of the subscription.

Full story here - https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/757419/learn-languages-online